Split Down the Middle
by Molf
Summary: One year after the Washington incident, Peter Maximoff finds himself still in his Mam's basement, though with his twin sister back from university, his life is takes an unusual twist. With Peter gone, what won't Wanda do to find her brother once more or will they both come back with more family then they thought? (post dofp, and written before I saw Xmen Apocolypse)(on hiatus)
1. Panic

1

"Why don't you just dye it?"

"Because boys don't dye their hair!"

It was almost a year since the accident in the Pentagon, almost a year since Peter had released a dangerous criminal on the world who almost killed a president for the second time. Peter had tried to forget his involvement in the break out but that didn't stop a knot of guilt forming in his chest that tightened painfully at the mention of the metal-bending mutant.

Wanda had come back from collage three weeks ago for the summer holidays and they were both now slumped on the old leather sofa. Of course, she had noticed the difference in her brother with in an hour, pulled him aside and made him tell. She didn't shout at him, nor did she tell their mother, she just rolled her brown eyes and cuffed him gently over the head.

Wanda was curled in a ball at the end of the aged sofa, reading a deadly boring text book for homework while her twin stretched out, long limbs hanging over both the leather arms, pulling at his silvery hair as he glaring at the colour.

"That is a stupid thought, Pie." Wanda stated, turning her attention away from him again and back to her book.

"How could I dye my hair with out anyone noticing?" Peter switched his gaze to her, eyebrows raised. When he saw she wasn't listening, he plucked the textbook from her hands before she could tighten her grip.

"I thought you said you wouldn't use you're speed against me?"Wanda tried to take the book back in vain.

"What is this? Physics?" He glanced down at the page that was open before throwing it away in disgust. "Ew! What is that!?"

"Its just a brain!" She exclaimed, flicking her hand so that the slightly bent book shot back to her hand in a bubble of red energy, "And its biology." she said as an after thought.

"Peter!" came a loud familiar voice, along with the crash of the front door closing.

"Mams home." Wanda said, unnecessarily.

"I didn't do anything!" came her brothers voice from the thin air where he had been a second before. Wanda heard Peter's basement bedroom door close a half second later.

A tired-looking Magda Maximoff shouldered her way, drowsily through the living room door, arms loaded with shopping which she dumped on the counter before turning to her daughter. "Where did he go?"

Wanda didn't even glance up, reluctant to start the continuous argument between the mother and daughter "Where do you think?" she tilted her head towards the basement stairs where Pink Floyd could be heard playing at full blast, "What did he do this time?"

Magda sighed, "The local store. Again."

"What are you going to do?" Wanda gave her homework as a bad job, she thrust out one hand, rippling with red energy which lanced to pull her school bag over to her. It was almost past the coffee table when Magda clapped her hands sharply, making Wanda look round and lose concentration. The bag hit the floor with a soft flump.

"I have enough with Peter showing off his 'gift'" Magda raised her hands to make quotation marks around the word, "I don't need you to too."

Wanda huffed, "No one saw, Mam! Don't be so uptight."

"If they find you two, if they find out," Magda's mother instinct kicked in, "I can't protect you from them and you know it."

Wanda snatched up her bag, temper boil to the surface, her hands were pulsing red energy, "Who's they, mother? Are talking about the humans, like you? Or mutants like me? The ones who are trying to 'help' us."

"I'm just trying to protect you." Magda yelled, angry tears burning her eyes.

"No you're not. You're trying to stop Peter and me from being different. You wish we were normal like you, not a mutant like him."

Magda turned away from the angry teenager, screwing her eyes shut. She started to unpack the shopping, taking deep breath to calm herself down, "Go to your room, Wanda."

Scarlet energy throbbed around the room, making Magda's eyes ring. Eggs exploded in her hands, splattering their orange yolk across the white tiles. "WANDA!" But she was already stamping down the stairs to Peters room.

Peter was playing on his ping pong table, flipping from one side to the other. Wanda clicked her fingers, freezing the ball in midair in a orb of cherry red energy. Peter appeared on his sofa with a Pepsi and an annoyed expression, "Did you have to do that? I was almost at my high score!"

She didn't bother answering, just slouching on to the sofa that her twin had just vacated. The speedster was now playing on the pinched arcade game that he had spent two days wiring to his speed. In other words, Wanda couldn't see the numbers flashing on the screen. She just buried her face in her knees, wishing her harsh words to her mother hadn't happened. A light breeze caught her hair, she suddenly felt her brother place a comforting arm round her shoulder, resting his silver head against her brown one. "Again?" he murmured in to her hair.

She shifted slightly until the twins were face to face, "If she would just tell me who he is. I'm an adult now, I need to know who my father is." she reached forward delicately, hocking a finger under her brother's shirts neck line, tugging at the neckless that he always wore. On the silver chain was the only thing the twins had of their father, a small five pointed star. A Star of David that their Mother had given them, saying it had lived through the war with her husband. Peter pulled it back after a while, tucking it back under his t-shirt.

"I know." he suddenly started glaring at her, reaching out to tug at her hair. "Thats just unfair."

"What?" Wanda said, voice almost cracking with the strain of holding back tears.

"How come your hair is brown? Why do you get to look normal? Mines so obvious."

Wanda fought back a smile, "Its not just the hair, Pie, you look like you high on caffeine 24/7."

"What? Do I?" He disappeared for a second, "I do, don't I?"

She nodded, a grin spreading over her face, "Can we get out of here? Like go into town or something?"

"Sure, close your eyes."

As she did, Wanda felt his hand cup the back of her neck like he normally did before speed up. The familiar roaring filled her ears, she held her breath as she felt a great wind threaten to rip her away from her brother. With in a second the wind stopped and Wanda opened her eyes to see the park in the centre of town, about half an hour drive from home. Turning round to face Peter, she raised a hand to wipe her stinging eyes, dried out by the wind. The dusk sunlight glinted off the trees, turning the green leaves deep gold. Peter's hair and trusty goggles glinted in the failing light as he turned to bump down on the only wooden bench in the park, hanging his long frame over it.

"Thanks, Pietro." she said, just to annoy him.

He sighed, covering his face with a hand, "Don't call me that, you know I hate it. Its bad enough that Mam says that."

"Well, just be glad that you're name can be Americanized, mines kind of-" she froze, shoulders tensing. She glanced over her shoulder, backing up so that she could grab hold of Peters arm. He sat up, realizing the seriousness of the situation from his twins face, "What is it?" he whispered, standing behind her slightly, "The parks locked, there shouldn't be any one else but us here."

"Well, there is!" she hissed back, lifting her hand to summon her power.

"No," Peter knocked her hand down, "They might be innocent. Or against mutants."

They stood there for more then five minutes, back to back and searching the now dark park. At last, Wanda let out a small gasp, pointing at the shadows, "Peter, look!"

Two shadows had detached themselves from behind a tree, walking with a menacing stride towards the terrified pair. They stopped just out of reach, there was enough light to see their faces. One had a tattoos all over his face and down one arm in a suit; the other had teeth as long as daggers which he bared at the twins with. Mutants.

"What do you want?" Peter was surprised at how steady Wanda's voice was, though he could hear the undertone of fear.

"We are here for the mutant." Bigtooth rasped, his voice like sandpaper.

The twins glanced at each other. Which one was he talking about?

"Why?" Wanda said, moving more in front of her brother.

"We don't answer to the likes of you." snapped the tattooed man, eyes flashing with anger, "Just hand over the mutant and we will go. We won't harm him, we're under orders but the Master said nothing about humans who get in the way."

"But I'm-" Wanda started but Peter elbowed her in the ribs, shutting her up.

"If I come with you, will you leave her alone?" Peter said slowly, glancing between the two enemy mutants.

"Yes," said Bigtooth after a while, Tattoo sucked in an irritated breath as if attempted kidnap was messing with his days schedule.

Peter started forward but his twin stepped in front of his again, "Peter! Don't!"

But he ignored her, walking to face the two men. Bigtooth took an eager step forward, hand coming up to grasp Peters arm. Big mistake.

In a second, Peter's googles where down over his eyes and Bigtooth was flying into his fellow, both of them crashing to the floor in a painful heap.

"Wanda, get out of here!" came Peter's voice from the silver streak that was still whizzing around the fallen men, making sure they stayed down. "I can't keep them here for ever!"

Wanda turned, running towards the distant black park gate that seemed miles away. She looked back just in time to be hit in the face by shadows.

Peter noticed the tattooed man point at his sister a second to late, just as the shadows hit her and pulled her back, her head lolling on to her shoulder. "Wanda!"

The tattoos on the man's arms were writhing and spinning as the shadows pulled the unconscious girl toward the fight. Peter froze in the middle of pushing Bigtooth in to a tree as Tattoos forced his sister in to the air by the black darkness,

"Stop or she gets it." Tattoos said as he stood up, brushing off his suit with a snobby air. Peter pulled off his goggles, dropping them to the floor, raising his hands without hesitation, "Let her go, I will do anything you say just don't hurt her."

He felt Bigtooth grip his forearm, long nails biting in to his skin to stop him running off again. Tattoos clicked his fingers, dropping Wanda heavily to the floor like a sack of potatoes, Peter flinched at the dull thud.

"Who is she to you?" growled Bigtooth, tightening his grip until Peter gasp in pain.

The teenager had to think fast, he wouldn't let them take his sister too. "She, um, shes my half sister. Different father! She's human."

"Right." Tattoos turned to look at Peter more closely, going even as far as to pull at a lock of silver hair, "Let's take him."

"Where are we going?" Peter asked, jerking his head away from him.

Tattoos scowled, slapping the speedster sharply round the face, "We're going to a place where you will learn to keep your tongue behind your teeth if you value it."

Lights popped in Peters vision, he blinked to clear it, "Well, I would like to know where I'm going before you whisk me off who know where. Who are you people anyway? Are you with that metal dude? Cause he owes me a debt so-"

Bigtooth cut him off, "Shut him up, will you!"

"I don't like being ignored you know!" but that was all he could get out before black shadows blocked his vision and he slumped against Bigtooth.

* * *

 **Hi! This is a test, to see if people like it! I have already writen out the story but I didn't want to type it up and publish but then a friend really liked it soooo here you go! Please Review for more chapters!**


	2. Gone

2

Wanda woke up to bright light. The harsh white glare made her squirm and squint as she tried to work out where she was. Why was she outside? Where was she? Where was Peter? Wait, Peter! Opening her eyes fully, she scanned the park for a familiar silver head, maybe bobbing around the tourists for some unguarded change or sunglasses, or just going for a run. But there was nothing.

"Pie...Peter!"she yelled, earning a few curious glances from passers-by, "PETER!"

When no cheeky voice answering her worried cry, she collapsed to her knees, tears stinging her eyes. Something glinted in the grass, something shiny and silver. Snatching it up, her heart lurched sickeningly. It was his silver goggles he always wore while running, always. Where was he? Had they taken him? Wanda's mind invented dreadful images of Peter locked up, injured, alone.

Why had they taken her too? They had taken him because of his mutation but what about her? What had told them that Peter was a mutant but not her? Then Wanda's mind flashed back to their past conversation,

 _How come your hair is brown? Why do you get to look normal? Mine's so obvious._ Peter had said.

He had a visible mutation, hers was unnoticeable, and it didn't help that Peter keep himself in the news with unexplained thefts.

She looked around, now she needed to get help. She was miles from home even if Mam bothered to listen to her. So where to go? Peter had said something about a professor that owed him a debt. He had boasted about it for days after, but only to her. What was his name? She screwed her eyes shut, the name, name. Name!

Charlie? Charles? Yes that was it! Then his second name began with an X. That would be enough to look him up, there was a phone booth at the park entrance. She stood, shaking off the dizziness that settled on her mind, and hurried over to the metal box. Opening the yellow book, she scanned the names until she saw a large black 'X'. She spotted the one she was looking for almost straight away:

 **'Xavier, Charles. PHD'**

Then a number, Wanda searched her pockets for some change, nothing. This professor must be rich or this will be very short phone call.

She held her breath as the dial tone rung.

"Hello?" came a posh English voice, "Who is this?"

"Is this the professor?" She rushed out, suddenly nervous.

"Yes," came the hesitant response,

She swallowed, "You knew my twin brother, Peter?"

His tone changed to delight, "Ah, you must be Wanda! He told us a lot about you."

Wanda's stomach tightened uncomfortably, "I need your help, he's gone missing. Please you have to help me, I don't know where he is! There were these men and they took him, Please!"

"Whoa, whoa, slow down! Why aren't you going to your mother?"

She didn't answer, she couldn't. "Please."

"Okay, Wanda, I need you to calm down and tell me where you are so we can come and pick you up." Charles said, speaking softly to sooth the panicking teenager.

Wanda rattled off the address of a cafe to the left of the park, "Come quick." and she hung up.

Charles set the receiver down, wheeling himself round and back down the corridor, yelling, "Hank! We need to get the car, right now!"

The young scientist came scrambling from his study, pushing his glasses back up his nose. "What is it, Professor?"

"We need to help an old friend." he pushed himself to the lift, "Do you remember Peter Maximoff?"

"Vividly." Hank groaned.

 _Wanda? We're here, over by the window._

Looking round in shock, Wanda spotted the Professor straight away. He was looking directly at her with a piercing blue gaze, two fingers pressed to his temples. She almost cracked a smile at his fashion, who wears tweed these days? Behind him stood a geeky-looking young man who was looked edgily around the crowded room.

 _Are you telepathic?_ She thought hard.

A small smile tugged at the corner of Charles' mouth, _Yes, I'm glad you don't think like your brother._

 _Why is that?_ She frowned.

 _He thinks fast enough to give me a nose bleed,_

Wanda actually laughed out loud but quickly stifled it, wary of strange looks. She stood as casually as she could, making her way over to their table. She frowned when she saw he was in a wheelchair, Peter hadn't mentioned that. Also his hair wasn't the shoulder length mess her brother had described, it was cut short and floppy. "Hello." she said, stiffly.

Charles held out his hand politely, "You must be Wanda Maximoff, I am Charles Xavier and this is Hank McCoy."

She shook hands, feeling awkward. After all, she had no real reason to trust these men other then Peter's word. "Um, Hi. Thank you so much for helping me!"

"No problem, child." Charles lent forward, resting his elbows on the table, "What happened?"

She sighed, "It's a very long story."

The professor raised his hand, "Do you mind if I take a look? It will be quicker." he added when Wanda hesitated.

"Does it hurt?"

"Of course not." he chuckled, before concentrating, diving in to the teenagers thoughts.

Wanda shivered, she could feel him in her head but it didn't hurt, it just felt slightly dizzy. She could see what he saw, images flashing back in front of her eyes: Her and Peter back to back; then the two strangers; finally them going for Peter.

In less than a second, Charles straightened up, eyes widening in shock. "Hank? This is worse than we thought. They have started recruiting with force."

Hank nodded, face grave. "What are we going to do?"

Wanda didn't like being left out, especially at a time like this "What do you mean? Who's recruiting?"

"Erik Lehnsherr, I believe you know who he is." Charles said, only half glancing in her direction.

"That dude that tried to kill the president?" She said, aghast.

"Yes, he used to be a very dear friend." Charles eyes suddenly filled with a dreadful sadness. "But he let revenge corrupt his mind."

"But didn't Peter help him get out of prison? Surely he would be in Peter's debt!" Wanda cried.

He nodded, looking thoughtful, "Yes, that is true. It should give him some cover but we need to get him back as soon as possible." he turned to his almost silent companion, "Hank, we need to get to Cerebo."

Hank nodded, avoiding Wanda's eyes. "We also need to get back to the kids at the school. I left them in Alex's care."

Charles closed his eyes, "Why did you-? Actually I don't want to know. Wanda, do you want us to drop you home?"

Wanda dropped her gaze, not wanting to answer even though she knew Xavier could just see it in her mind.

"I see that you do not." he said awkwardly. "Um, would you like to come to with us? We can call your mother."

Wanda laughed without mirth, "She won't realise we're gone for a few days, don't worry."

"Oh, don't say that." Charles tried to comfort her with a kind little smile. "She just trying to protect you."

"That's what she always says." she sighed, "Sure, why not?" Wanda couldn't help but wonder what kind of a house a Professor lived in.

There wasn't a Xavier House. There was Xavier estate. Wanda froze where she stood when she saw the sight of what looked like a mountain blocking out the sun. Her own bungalow looked like a damp cardboard box compared with the monumental building that was in front of her now, she laughed under her breath, earning a amused look from Charles.

"Yes, it is quite big, isn't it?" he commented, rolling his chair to the newly installed ramp that lead up to the front door. "Come and see inside."

She followed him to the oak door that was opened immediately by a tall blonde boy who was grinning guiltily, "Professor! Hank! What great surprise!"

Hank frowned, "A surprise? We live here, Alex." but the professor closed his eyes in frustration.

"Why the study, Alex? Why the study?" he cried, passing a hand over his face.

Alex looked innocently hurt, "Scott made me do it!"

"Did not!" A brown hair boy with bright red sunglasses appeared in the door way, pushing Alex in the shoulder.

"Don't blame your brother, Alex." Charles said, warily. He wheeled himself away through the door and beyond, only then did Alex notice Wanda.

"Heello," he drawled, "What are you doing here?"

Wanda rolled her eyes, used to boy's looking at her like a piece of meat but she chose to ignore it, "You must be Alex, I've heard a lot."

"You know my name, so what's yours?" he retorted.

Hank pushed past them, glaring at Alex, "Knock it off, Summers." he snapped at the younger man, following the professor, "Wanda? I'll show you round." he called back.

She trailed after him, muttering to Alex as she past, "Wanda Maximoff."

"Maximoff?" Alex murmured to himself long after he had gone, "Where have I heard that before?"

They found the professor in the door way to what must have once been a spotless study but now resembled a bomb sight. Oak furniture was piled in corners some of which were burning quietly. Papers were cracked and fried, littering the floor. Even the walls hadn't survived, red hot lines were slashed across the peach coloured walls. Xavier had his head in his hands, rubbing his temples.

"I told him," He was moaning, "I told him that he shouldn't practice inside!"

Wanda couldn't suppress a grin, "He did all that?"

Hank picked up half a chair, "Yes, why do you think we call him Havok?" he said, shortly.

"It's doing to take us ages to clear this up! Especially as Sofia's on holiday."

"Who's Sofia?" Wanda asked,

"She can fix things." Hank answered, "Comes in handy at a school for mutants."

Wanda looked at her hands, she could do it even though she had never tried anything so big, she could do it. "Let me have a shot."

She didn't bother to wait for their answer, red energy pulsed from her hands, illuminating the trashed room. Even Wanda had to look away from the scarlet glow, blinking spots from her vision. When it was safe to look back again, Xavier gasped then chuckled.

Granted, the walls were still burned and peeling and the papers were burned but in a pile.

But the chairs, tables and cabinets were all back where they were before as if nothing had happened, all in one piece.

"Wanda, that was...that was amazing!" Charles spluttered, a wide smile blossoming on his face. "Truly amazing."

Hank pushed a chair, which still had a dark line across it, with a finger experimentally, as if he was worried that it would crumble to dust, "We can get Alex to fix the walls."

"Your power is truly amazing, Wanda." Charles turned to her, twisting in his wheelchair, "If that was on pure instinct then the power you could have if you learnt to proper control it." he petered out, his gaze clouding over slightly.

Wanda waited politely for him to speak again but when she saw that he wasn't going to say anything any time soon, she cleared her throat, "Um, Professor? Could we, um, maybe try and find my brother?"

Charles started, face tinged with red, "I'm dreadfully sorry. Yes, Hank, could you power up Cerebo for me? Me and Wanda will meet you down there."

Hank nodded, flashing a shy smile in Wanda's direction before hurrying down the corridor.

Alex and Scott appeared at the end of the corridor, grinning. He did a double take at the fixed and tidy room, then gazed at Wanda in wonder, "You did that?"

"Yes, she did." Charles was frowning at him for some reason, Alex suddenly looked at his shoes.

Wanda cracked a grin, "Well, you know where to find me if you mess up again."

"Hey! It as an accident!" Alex exclaimed in false offense. "Still Scott's fault" he grumbled.

Scott rolled his eyes, or at least Wanda thought he did. It was hard to tell behind the glasses.

"Nice shades kid." she commented.

He fiddled with the rims, "Ah huh."

"Poor little Scott here can't take them off." Alex winked, Scott elbowed him sharply.

Wanda gaped, "Why not?"

Scott looked at the floor, "Bad things happen. You saw what Alex did to the study, well I'm even worse."

There was an awkward pause.

Charles turned to Wanda, "Shall we go to Cerebo?"

"Well, why don't I show you down there?" Alex held out an hand in an old-fashioned gesture.

"Its alright, Alex." Charles wheeled past him, Wanda following.

"Wow, you made this?" Wanda gasped in amazement, spinning on the spot to try to take in the titanic orb of silver metal. She wasn't scared of heights but the sight of the smooth reverse dome that stretched beneath the narrow walkway she was standing on. "What does it do?" she asked Xavier who was sitting at the controls in the centre, lifting a metallic helmet over his ears.

He smiled, rolling his neck, and flicked some important looking switches. "You'll find out. I told your mother that you and Peter are at a summer camp so that she doesn't worry."

"You needn't bother." Wanda sighed.

Hank placed a hand on her shoulder, watching the professor, "Wouldn't it be better if we left you alone? So you could concentrate?"

Wanda's heart sank, almost pouting in disappointment, she hadn't seen anyone but her brother use their power. What else could Charles do? Explode things with his mind? Or strangle people like Darth Vader?

Charles frowned, casting a strange look at his scientist friend, "No, actually Wanda could come in useful. Could you come over here dear?"

Wanda could help beaming, but still feeling a little bit bad for Hank, who looked down hearted for some reason, as he left, closing the circler door behind him with a beep. She come forward, suddenly nervous, until she was directly behind the wheelchair. "What should I do?"

"Come round here so I can see you. Yes that's better. Take my hand." When she did, he closed his eyes. She could feel him reaching for her with his mind.

"What are you doing?" she asked, anxiously.

 _As his twin, your mind is similar to his._ He answered in her head. _Think about him. Concentrate on your memories about your brother. It will help me find him faster._

 _Thank you for this._ She closed her eyes to think better, pouring all the things she could remember about her silver-headed brother.

She started as early as she could, the first time Peter had come home in tears. The other boys in his class had laughed at his silvery hair, calling him old. When he answered back, they would make fun of his accent that hadn't gone from Russian to American as quick as her's. Ironic really. She remembered sneaking down to his room to comfort him to sleep, catching him in the act of taking a pair of scissors to the grey locks.

 _"I don't want it Wanda! I look li-like Grandpa!" he had spluttered through sobs after she had wrestled the scissors off him._

 _"No, you don't. Pie." she said, hugging the weeping boy tightly. "If it does, then that makes you superior, doesn't it? Cause, mama says the older you are the more respect you deserve!"_

As soon as she thought that, she felt Charles' amusement at the childish thought, and a flash of envy at the connection between the twins.

Wanda's mind leaped across the years to another vivid moment that stuck in her mind. The day that they had discovered their powers. It was the same day, almost the same minute. Wanda had been ill for weeks, Magda presumed it was the flu. Peter barely left her side, even to eat which was almost unheard of for him. Sitting still wasn't like him, even then. A few days before the 'big reveal', he had started talking too fast for them to understand, getting frustrated when they did something to slow. Then one morning, she had woken in the bright sunlight, her throat itchy with thirst. She looked round, Peter hadn't been there.

 _He must be in bed. She had thought. Reaching across the bedside table to try and reach the glass of water, just brushing it with the tips of her fingers. Her throat was burning up, she stretched as far as she could but she still couldn't make it, her eyes were stinging._

 _Suddenly she had felt an energy building in her wrist, her fingers were turning red, fizzing and tingling. Crimson lines had spiralled for her fingertips, hooking on to the mugs handle. Wanda's breath hitched, she wanted to stop. Could she stop? Energy was draining out of her already weak body through her arm, she tried to pull her hand away but it was glued in place with an invisible force._

 _The mug inched in to her hand, painfully slowly. Even though she was scared out of her wits, she drank deeply. It tasted uncomfortable warm but it healed her parched throat enough to shout one word as loud as she could,_

 _"PETER!"_

 _She had heard him before she had seen him, a series of crashes coming from the basement and up the stairs to her room._

 _"Wanda,what's," Crash, "happening? Issomething," Crash, "wrong?" once he appeared, Wanda had known that something was wrong with him. His normally dead-straight was pushed back as if he had been running in to high wind. He had zipped to her side in a flash of silver. But he didn't stop there. He kept disappearing and appearing at different sides of the room, bashing in to the walls._

 _"What's happening to you?" she had cried as he flashed back and forth in front of her._

 _"Ican'tstop! I'vetriedeverything." he stop in his usual chair for less than three second before starting off again. "Whatshappening?"_

 _"I don't know!" she was on the verge of tears, looking at her hands. Then she had an idea, it was risky but it might work. "Peter, I need you to go in to the corner when I say. I have an idea."_

 _She concentrated on her hands, building up as much energy as she could. Pouring all the fear and confusion in to her fingers which had started to turn red. Flicking her wrist, she experimentally shot a spark in to her other hand, it stung but it worked. "Okay, Peter. Right, Now!"_

 _She had flashed a line of crimson energy in to the corner, just as Peter ran in to it at top speed. The scarlet light exploded in to a lattice of red light, Peter in the centre. He had been frozen on the spot, twitching but still. Looking through the glowing bands, he had stared at her in horror, "What's happened to us?" he had said slowly, pronouncing clearly._

 _Magda hadn't believed them. She thought that Wanda had faked her illness, which had disappeared as though the red energy was expelling it .They had told her a soon as Peter had calmed down enough to walk slowly. She had freaked out when they showed her, sending both of them to their rooms. Peter had zipped back in to Wanda's the moment Magda had turned around. He had-_

 _Wanda? I've found him._ Charles' mental call broke through her memories like a knife and she turned her attention straight back to him.

 _Where?_ She cried, opening her eyes. She gasped. The metal orb around them had disappeared. In its place was what looked like a blown up of a world map with billions of specks, red dots punctuating the sea of white ones.

"What is this?" she said aloud as the map zeroed in on one area in the south of the USA.

 _This is the world. All those dots are people, the red are mutants. It helps me find them more easily. Charles tilted his head slightly to one side, I can see Peter but I can't touch his mind. There is something blocking me!_

 _Show me him!_ Wanda searched the cluster of red dots that they were coming closer to.

Suddenly they were surrounded by a building. It was hard to see, as if gazing at a mirage. The white-wash walls were flickering but Wanda could see that it was a kind of warehouse. Beds were lined up along the walls, all uniform green but comfy looking.

Wanda's breath hitched when she saw the bed in front of them where a silver haired boy was dozing peacefully. He was still wearing the clothes he had been taken in, a black Led Zeppelin top, faded blue jeans and his favourite silver Sneakers. A dark bruise was blossoming on his temple but other than that he looked unharmed.

 _He's too quiet, Charles,_ Wanda murmured, he never sleeps that calmly.

 _He's alright, Wanda._ They haven't hurt him. He relied.

 _You can read his mind? Can you talk to him?_

 _No, I can not speak to him, there is something blocking me, but I can read his mind but only just._ Suddenly the building vanished, replaced by the metallic sides of Cerebro.

"What happened?!" Wanda turned to the professor and faltered. He was sagging in his wheelchair, blood dripping from his nose on to his shirt. "Professor ? Are you alright?"

"Gah," he gasped, "Yes, child. I just think I might need to sleep for a moment." with that he rested his head on his arms and slept.

* * *

 **Hi! New chapter up! These are going up as quickly as I can type them from my note book (and how many reviews I get cos I never seem to have any motivation XD)**

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	3. New Friends

3

Peter was awake. He had been for some time. But he did not open his eyes. He didn't want to see what situation his was in. He could feel something round his wrists, Peter hoped they weren't cuffs. He had been in handcuffs before when he was caught once by the police and he hadn't enjoyed it very much, they were too restricting, stopping the speed he had to use or he got a migraine. He could tell by the rough yet comfy material that was against his head, that he was on some kind of bed. A very comfortable one.

"I know you're awake, lad." Peter jumped at the soft female voice that came from behind him, "You're twitching all over."

He sighed, inwardly, he should have known that his mutation wouldn't allow him to pass unnoticed. He sat up and turned, making the lady sitting next to his bed jump. "Who are you?" he said, as he took in his surroundings. He was in a warehouse sized room, it looked like the quarters of an army bass, like in the movies. An iron door was in the corner, it looked heavy but the lock looked easy to pick. Looking down at his hands he saw that they weren't cuffed, just two silver, metal bands ringing his wrists. They were thick enough to be sturdy but thin enough to not be too annoying. What use was that?

"My name is Eleanor, lad, but you may call me Mesme." she sounded English. Maybe Scottish. She had shoulder length grey hair and was smiling kindly, Peter noticed that her eyes were deep purple. She didn't appear to have pupils. She was clutching a clipboard to her chest, "I just need you to answer a few questions."

Peter frowned, _Play for time. What harm could a few questions do?_ He shook the thought away, _it could do a lot of damage._ Mesme was looking at him intently, those purple eyes boring into him. _It was her mutation,_ Peter suddenly realised, _she's messing with my head._ But he thought too fast for her to convince him. It would be better if she thought it was working.

"Ok," Peter answered, dozily.

"First, what is your name?" she asked with sickly sweetness.

"Pietro Django Maximoff."

"Where are you from?" she raised her eyebrows.

"DC." he said sharply, glaring at her frown, "Problem."

"I was just asking." she said, testily, "What is your mutation?"

"Speed."

"Is that it?"

Peter scowled, zipping over to stand behind her. "Is that not enough?" he snatched her clipboard out of her hand and scanned the questions. Nothing that harmful, he finished them, crossing out the wrong spelling of 'Pietro', and was back on his bed in a second. "Is that us done then?"

Mesme's eyes flashed in anger, "Don't get cocky with me, Maximoff." she stood up, pointing with her pencil at a pile of grey-green clothes at the foot of the bed, "Get changed. We will wash your other clothes for you."

"What if I don't?"

"I would if I were you. Because everyone else is wearing them, do you want to stand out and look stupid?" She turned before he could answer and left.

As soon as the door closed, Peter was on his feet and looking around the room. Each bed had a trunk at the foot, locked, obviously for personal possessions. There were about fifty beds in the room, all uniform and identical. No pictures, no posters, not even a glass of water beside a bed. It didn't look right.

Light was pouring from the skylight in the roof, it must be late afternoon, no wonder he was hungry. Looking around, Peter noticed that there was no other sources of light in the room. At night it would be pitch black. _Great_. He wasn't scared of the dark, he just didn't like it very much. Or at least that's what he told Wanda.

The door opened again, a small boy with thick glasses came in, his head bent over a book. His wrists too were ringed with circles of what looked like bronze. He wasn't looking where he was going and didn't notice Peter until the latter zipped up to him and tapped him on the shoulder.

"What you reading?" he asked, zipping back to his bed.

The boy jumped, squawking in surprise. There was a pop and he disappeared. In his place was a small brown cocker spaniel sitting on a book, looking round in fright with lava orange eyes.

"Oh, man! That is cool!" Peter crouched down next to the dog in a flash, chuckling as the dog sprang back. He noticed that the bronze bands had transferred themselves from the boy to the dog. "Are you a shape-shifter?"

The spaniel turned back in to the boy with another pop, Peter noticed he was wearing the same grey-green clothes Eleanor had told him to wear. "Who are you? You're new, aren't you?" the boy gushed, stretching out a hand.

"The name's Peter Maximoff." he said, shaking to offered hand. "Yes, I am new."

"Cool, I'm Ernest. Ernest Goldensmith." he was small and weedy, with black hair that stuck up in all directions. His eyes burned with an orange glow behind his glasses, he had a nervous way of standing. Shifting from foot to foot. "You're right. I, um, shape-shift. But only dogs, though. I can see that you can run fast. That's cool." he said, blinking quite rapidly.

Peter stooped to pick up Ernest's book, handing it back to its owner. "I see we are neighbours." he indicated the beds.

"Y-yeah." he stuttered, slipping the book under his pillow. "You better get changed, it's soon dinner. I can show you round if you want."

Peter frowned, confused. "Ernest, did you come here willingly?"

He flinched, "No, why?"

"Then why do you stay?"

"Because I have nowhere else to go. Here I have food and a bed for free. I feel like I want to leave sometimes but there no way out, I've tried. After all everyone else seems to want to stay." he rushed out.

"Didn't you leave someone behind?" Peter asked, delicately.

"Yes, my Mam but she was going to kick me out anyway. Did you leave anyone behind?"

"Yes," Peter's throat closed up at the thought of Wanda. His thoughts jammed when he remembered his twin. Where was she now? Was she awake yet? "Yes, my sister."

"Is she here? I don't know any other Maximoffs or even Russians here." Ernest said, sitting on his bed as Peter started pulling his shirt off.

Peter froze. "I'mnotRussian." he said, forgetting his speed, he cleared his throat and tried again, "I'm not Russian. My Mam is but I grew up in America."

Ernest's magma eyes widened, "I'm sorry! I just h-heard the n-name and I a-assumed..." his stutter got worse as he got more agitated.

"Woah, woah. I didn't mean it like that, man. It's just, I didn't have the best time with others when they found out I wasn't pure American." he pulled on the new shirt and trousers, which fitted him surprisingly well. He shivered at the thought of people checking his size while he's unconscious; he kept his silver shoes on, ignoring the army boots beneath the bed. Turning to Ernest, he noticed that he had flicked in to speed-time without noticing. Peter frowned he hadn't done that in years, what had changed? He needed to calm his mind. Deep breaths. _Oh, man! I sound like the prof!_ The thought settled his fast mind with amusement.

Walking over to the door, he flicked back to normal time, snickering at shock on Ernest's face as he glanced round for the speedster. "Show off." he muttered, before turning in to a grey hound and bounding to his new friend's side, "I'll show you the way," he said as he changed his form back to human and pulled the door open.

Apparently they eat in an air craft hanger. Let's just say, the Maximoff house could fit in it comfortably with barely a squeeze. When Peter emerged from the tube like corridor that connected the dining room to the dormitories, he had to use his speed to jump out the way of a sudden swooping figure, Ernest ducked as if it was a perfectly normal to have people dive bombing him at breakfast. Once Peter had got over his shock, he looked round the room and gasped. It was full of mutants, some flying around the lights in all different ways, most were showing off their power at ground level, some didn't have to show off. All of them were crowded in groups around metal tables that were nailed to the floor, though there were some tables in the corner each made of different material, for those who couldn't use metal, probably. At the opposite end of the room was a long posh buffet table with enough food filled on its marble top to feed a good sized town for a week, above it was a thin walkway halfway up the wall. One thing that Peter noticed about the sea of mutants in front of him was that all of them were around his age, wearing the same clothes and all had a visible difference. Say, a pair of wings, a body of metal, eyes strange colours like Ernest's or, like Peter, had unnatural hair colour. He could even see a girl with snakes for hair and thick black glasses.

"Come on." Ernest tugged at his sleeve, pulling him to a table in the corner. It was empty, apart from a very grumpy looking girl with long wavy blonde hair, perfect porcelain features and the wide, white wings of a dove. She was poking at a huge plate of salad and chips, which was an odd choice even for Peter whose diet mainly consisted of burgers and Twinkies. "Hey, Hannah. This is the new guy! I just found him in the Bunk House."

Hannah looked up uninterested, flashing a very false smile before returning to her food.

"The Bunk House?" Peter asked Ernest.

"It's what we call it. Our dormitories are next to each other, boys and girls. Everything seems to have a code name here, the rooms, the staff. Even us eventually." Ernest was still looking at Hannah sadly.

Peter grinned with really happiness for the first time since he woke up, "Wegetcodenames?" he coughed, slowing himself down again. "Do you have one?" he said as carefully as he could. Calm down, Peter.

"Yes, I do but I don't like using it." Ernest sighed, "Its Houndwalker."

Peter hide his laughter the best he could, "Cool. That's cool, man."

"Man?! Man?! Who says that?" came a very posh voice. Peter turned to see Hannah glaring at him in annoyance. "Who are you anyway? You another homeless one? God, not another one!"

Peter raised an eyebrow, angry bubbling, making his dark eyes flash. "What's your codename? Snob?"

"It's The Dove, actually. What can you do? Make yourself look like a dork?"

"No. I can beat your arse but that's not my mutation." Peter snapped back.

Hannah glared for almost a full minute then suddenly broke in to a wide smile that lit up her face, "Ok, you've won my respect, that was the best talk I've had in months. I don't think we've been properly introduced." she held out a hand, just like Ernest had, "I'm Hannah Stainthrope but call me Dove, who might you be?"

Peter blinked, startled at the change of events, "Um, Pietro- I mean, Peter."

She kept watching him obviously waiting for more. One awkward moment later, in which Peter looked at her quizzically, she huffed, "Why are you here? What can you do?"

"I...Speed. What about you? Is it just flight or...?"

"Well, I can, sometimes, heal things. But only sometimes." she wiggled her fingers to emphasise her point. "Hey, you better get some food cause they are going to clear up soon." she dropped her voice, "Also, Solarflare keeps burning up food for fun, the idiot. Apparently he's angry for some reason."

"Is he?" Ernest craned his neck to look over the crowd towards the food table, "Which end? When did you see him? You know, I think I'm not actually that hungry." he turned to a tiny pug and hide under the metal table.

"Who's Solarflare?"

"Him and his brother, Icesheet, call themselves the Element brothers. They bully everyone who doesn't see them as their leader." Hannah answered, a look of disgust on her face.

Peter immediately felt a rush of hate for him. Peter may not have known Ernest for long but he had been kind to Peter from the start even though he hadn't known anything about him, he had even ignored the nervousness and distractedness of the speedster. When he was younger, Peter had sworn to build a solid wall of fury against bullies of all kind as he locked himself in the bathroom in fear.

"Ok, Ernest? What do you want? To eat?" he said, crouching down to the pugs level. The dog barked but Peter shook his head, "English, please."

For the first time, the kleptomaniac saw a pug roll its eyes. Its mouth suddenly morphed in to a humans, just the mouth, and spoke, "I wouldn't mind a burger but don't go near Solarflare, Peter! He could melt your face off if he felt like it." then the mouth blended back to a pugs.

Peter grimaced, "That was disgusting."

Then he was off.

It felt good to be back in still time. The deafening silence; the stillness of his surroundings; the privacy. No one could interrupt his thoughts here, though he was surprised there wasn't another mutant here that could move at his speed. There was one that was faster than the rest, one in the corner with spiky brown hair with blue streaks, her eyes were following him but slowly. He skipped round a group of part-animals that were playing cards on the floor before he got to the table. It took him a moment to find the burgers and buns at the end of the table, though most were burnt by a fire from what probably used to be sausage rolls. A man with white hair, of which the ends were on fire, his uniform clothes had been stylishly ripped around the knees and collar, was sitting next the flames, arms crossed and obviously laughing his head off. Peter scowled, looking around for a good revenge. There was a jug of water next to a stack of plastic cups on a side table for drinks, he cracked a smile. Emptying the water in to the space above the fiery dudes head, he turned back to the table, snatching up as many burgers he could along with four bowls of chips. He slipped back next to Hannah who hadn't seemed to see he had gone.

"Ernest, I got the burger you wanted." Peter waved the burger under the table as a crash could be heard though out the hall. "Do you want some chips?"

Hannah span on her seat, bursting into galls of laughter at the sight of the dripping wet pyromaniac, who was storming out of the food hall. "Did you do that?" she said as she noticed the pile of food in front them.

"Maybe." Peter mumbled through the mouthful of his third burger.

"Wow. You really are fast." she said as she watched him wolfing down the pile of food, "There are people who can go quick but not that quick. But do you really need all that food? That could feed me for a week!" she made a disgusted face as Peter finished the burgers and half the chips. Ernest had leapt up on to the seat next to them as a fluffy St Bernard, munching on his own burger.

"I need a lot of energy, funnily enough. Why do we need code names?" Peter said as he finished the final chips in a flash. "I mean, what do you use them for?"

"Nobody calls each other by their real names, the staff don't, either. I doubt they even know our names. The big guy says it's so we don't have to use the names that the humans gave us but one that was given to us by our own race." Ernest smirked as well as a St Bernard could, "Magneto's crazy like that." Hannah scowled at him.

"I know." Peter grumbled, rubbing his eyes.

"What? You know Magneto?" Ernest yelped, flickering back to human.

Peter yawned, "How do you think he broke out the Pentagon? I gave him a hand. Ineedtosleep."

He began to stand up but Hannah caught his arm, staring at him avidly, "You've met Magneto? Like, you've talked to him?"

"Well, yeah. But he was called Erik then and he didn't have that cool helmet." he pulled on her restraining arm, "Let go, Hannah. I really wanna go to bed."

"I would prefer it if you call me Dove, Pietro." She let him go. Resting her head on her hands, her clear blue eyes misted over with adoration, "I would have loved to meet him. He's fantastic and according to Blizzard, he's really hot."

Peter stared at her, not believing his ears, "You agree with what he says? That all humans should die to make way for a new age of murders?"

"Well, yes. We are the next in evolution, why shouldn't we hurry the prossess on a bit?"

"What about your parents? Your Mam?" Peter asked in shock.

"She was the one who sent me here. She wanted to send me to private school but then she saw Magneto on the T.V. and thought it would be better." she sneered, "My Mom believes that God meant me to have these powers and I should be with my own kind."

"You're unbelievable!" Peter sighed, "You wouldn't like him that much if you actually met him." he turned to Ernest, "I'm going back to the 'Bunk House'. You coming?"

Ernest nodded, glancing fearfully at Hannah who looked like she was going to strangle the young speedster.

"Do you want a lift?" Peter held out a hand towards the shapeshifter.

Ernest shifted to a chihuahua, leaping in to Peters arms and settling down in a ball.

"Wow, that's one way of doing it. You must really trust me, man!" Peter picked up speed with the dog in his arm which was licking his friends chin affectionately. "Dude, that's disgusting!" he complained but was laughing as he set Ernest down on his bed before he shifted back to a boy. Lots of the beds around them were already full as the light disappeared, leaving the room in darkness.

"I can't always suppress my dog instincts, my senses see you as a trustworthy friend. You lucky I'm not sniffing your butt." and with that delightful thought he turned to a terrier and curled up to sleep.

"Well, that's just disgusting." Peter said to himself, pulling off his clothes. For now he was going to have to sleep in his pants but that didn't matter. He didn't think he would be able to sleep anyway, he was worrying too much about Wanda.

She's smart, smarter than me. She'll figure something out. Peter thought, she will be fine.

He repeated that thought over and over in his head, until all the beds around him were filled up, until he believed it. His last thought before he finally fell asleep was: _Mam is going to kill me!_

* * *

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	4. Communication

4

Alex was irritated. Mostly with the professor. But partly with himself. Charles hadn't woken for a day and a half now and the whole school was feeling it. Wanda hadn't left his room, Alex had tried to get her to come down but she wouldn't leave him. She had come close to the professor and Alex in the short time they had known each other, though not as close as Alex would like. Charles had seen it in his mind but not commented on it. Alex had pushed his feeling to one side, he had only known her a day.

He pushed the door open carefully, backing in to the bedroom to give room to the food tray in his arms. Wanda had missed breakfast again, she was sitting slumped in an armchair beside the motionless form of Charles lying in bed. Her beautiful brown hair was fanned out across the arm, her face was peaceful in sleep. Peaceful and perfect.

 _Not now Alex,_ he thought, _it's not the time._

He set to food down on the bed side table before grabbing a blanket and draping it over the sleeping girl. She murmured in her sleep, something about pie, then shifted and fell back in to deep sleep, hair falling on to her face. Alex was tempted to brush it off her cheek.

 _Go for it, She likes you too._

Charles' voice echoed in his head, Alex almost jumped out of his skin. Charles was blinking at him with his piercing blue eyes. _I think it would be quite sweet, actually._

 _No, it wouldn't._ Alex thought loudly. _Imagine Peter's reaction._ Though he had never met the speedster, he had heard the stories, many annoyed stories about the boy.

"If you say so. That would be quite amusing." Charles muttered aloud, voice creaking from disuse. Wanda woke with a start, gazing around with her chocolate brown eyes,

"Charles! You're awake! Are you alright?" she stood up, frowning at the blanket then at Alex. Hank came bursting in to the room, face red from running. Alex knew better then to ask how he had known, Charles was a telepath after all.

"Yes, child." Charles smiled at her kindly, he sat up, "I believe I have some good news."

Wanda's eyes widened, "Have you found him?"

He nodded quickly, "Hank, could you get me to Cerebro please? Soon, I need to remember the exact location." he pulled himself to the side of the bed where his wheelchair sat.

Hank hurried round the other side of the bed, "Wait, are you sure you should be up?"

"I need to get there quick, so please give me a hand?"

Meanwhile,

Peter woke up and was on his feet in an instant, looking round at his surroundings in bewilderment. Almost all the beds around him were empty, a terrier was still asleep in the bed next to him. Ernest. That was right. Then it all came back to him.

"Oh, man!" he cried, waking Ernest who flashed back to human with a yelp. "I thought it was just a dream!"

"Oh, ok. Um, morning Peter." Ernest was still in his grey-green clothes from yesterday, he sat up on his bed, rubbing sleep from his eyes. "You alright?"

"Yeah, I guess." he lied, avoiding Ernest eye by putting on the clothes that had been cleaned, folded and placed on his trunk. "When's breakfast on at this place? I'm hungry."

"Are you always hungry?" Ernest asked, still looking at him in concern. "You're always asking for food!"

"I need a lot of energy!" Pulling his shoes on, he inspected the souls in despair, "And some new Sneakers." he looked up at Ernest who was still staring at him in exasperation, "I'm hungry, man!"

"Food is served 24/7 in the hall. Some people need more food then you do so they have to keep it up all day." Ernest yawned, "You go ahead, I'm going to stay here for a bit."

"Suit yourself, dude." he sped past the beds to the door and was sitting on an empty table at the back of the room with a huge pile pancakes in front of him in less than a second.

He needed to focus on getting out of here, how to get back to Wanda. Where was she now? Had she gone back home? Or had they got her too and just wasn't telling him?

"Morning." Hannah muttered, from above him, mouth full of omelette. She landed with a soft thump on the concrete floor, plate in hand. "You got your new name yet?"

"No, why would I need one?" After their conversation yesterday, Peter didn't want to talk to the healer. "I have a pretty good one already, thanks."

Hannah slipped down next to him, folding her wings behind her back, "Yeah, Pietro Maximoff. What kind of a name is that? It's so human!"

Peter froze, "How did you know my surname? I never told you."

She smirked, taking another bit of her breakfast, "A newbie arrives in a group of teenagers. It's a gossips heaven. You need to-"

"Leave me alone, Hannah." Peter turned his attention back to his breakfast which disappeared a moment later. "I don't want to talk to anyone just now."

"Good luck with that." Hannah nodded towards something over his shoulder.

He looked round to see a group of people heading straight for him, one of them was the fiery dude he had dumped water on yesterday, next to him was a boy who had to be his brother. They had the same face but when one was almost on fire the other was frozen. His hair was as white as snow, same as his eyes. They looked like the leaders of the gang behind them, all of which looked at them as if they had created the sun itself.

"You're the new one, ain't ya?" said Icesheet, stopping offensively close to Peter.

He stood up, looking round to see that Hannah had flown way. Great, Peter thought, I'm screwed.

Solarflare shoved him roughly in the shoulder, "My brother asked you a question, squirt."

"What's your name?" Icesheet sneered, coming closer, making Peter back up until his back hit the table.

"Why should I tell you?" Peter put on his most confident cocky grin. Bad choice.

The air turned icy cold then baking hot, sweat dripped from Peter's brow, sticking his silver hair to his forehead.

"You don't talk to us like that." Solarflare spat, "Now tell us who you are and what you can do."

"I know his name!" came a shout from the crowd, "He's that Maximoff boy!"

"Ha, a Russian!" Pyromaniac crowed, "What can you do then, squirt?"

"Oh, you saw me yesterday, hot stuff." Peter looked up it to the fiery face and smiled, "You seemed to have dried off though."

Solarflare grabbed a handful of Peter t-shirt, "That was you? You're going to regret that, boy."

Peter laughed in his face. Using his speed, he removed the hand holding his t-shirt, twisted the fingers in to a fist and pushing it in the owners brothers face. Jogging to the other side of the room, he slipped next to Ernest who had just entered the hall as a huskie, recognisable only by his lava coloured eyes.

"I think we should go." he whispered to the dog as the first yells of bloody murder could be heard from behind him, "Like now."

With a pop, Ernest appeared next to him as a human, "I just got here. What the hell did you do?"

"Just let's go," Peter flickered slightly, a stake of bread suddenly in his hand, "Breakfast."

Ernest followed the speedster back to the Bunk House only grudgingly. Peter kept flicking back and forth between the far door and the shapeshifter in an attempt to make him go faster. "I've known you for one day and you've already got me in to more than enough trouble to last me a lifetime."

"SorryIdidn'tmeanto." Peter paused, "Wait,yeahIdid,sorryaboutthat."

"Peter slow down. I can't understand you when you do that." Ernest held his hand out in the silver streak that was Peter, and caught the stake of bread that had been toasted in the heat of the kleptomaniac. "Woah, you're hot."

"Why, thank you." Peter's voice drifted from where he was settled on his bed.

"How do you stop your clothes from burning up?" Ernest asked, collapsing on his own bed and taking a bite of toast.

Peter lent back, hand behind his head, "I dunno, man. I just kinda happens." something shiny caught his eye. He poked at the bands round his wrists, "What are these things? What are they for?"

"I don't know, no one does. They don't have anything in them, Electro checked, their just pure metal, everyone's is a different type." Ernest tugged at his own bands, nervously.

"Well, Magneto is a metal bender. Maybe they are to control us."

"Maybe but-"

"MAXIMOFF!" came a yell from the doorway. The brothers were striding towards them, a bruise swelling on Icesheet's cheek. "Where is he?"

"You messed with the brothers? You idiot!" Ernest turned back to Peter. Or where Peter had been a second before. "Where have you gone now?"

"Where am I?" Peter muttered as he sped down corridor after corridor. He had been running for at least a minute and he still couldn't find anywhere familiar. Everywhere looked the same, like the inside of a metal tube with random doors reaching off at different points. "You have got to be kidding me!"

He slumped down against the curved wall, head in hands. What was he going to do? He hadn't seen true daylight in two days, and he desperately needed a good long run. Wanda would know what to do. Where was she?

 _She's safe._

Peter was on his feet and running before he could think about it. Someone was in his head, he could tell, he needed to keep moving then the telepath won't be able to keep up with him.

 _Peter, calm down._

He kept running, turning sharply at the first opportunity.

 _Peter, it's me! It's Charles Xavier. Your sister asked me to help._

 _Prof? Peter slowed down to a stop. Wanda'sthere? Whereareyou? Isshealright? CanItalktoher?_

Peter felt Charles smile, _Please, calm your thoughts. You're giving me a nose bleed._

 _Sorry, Prof._ Peter said, a little sheepish.

 _Yes she is here, we are at my manor. She is fine, though very worried about you. I'm sorry but I am only just hanging on to you, I can relay a message if you want._

 _Can you tell her I'm alright? And not to worry?_ Peter thought desperately,

 _Of course. Now if I may, can I read your memories? So we can find you._

 _Sure, but I can't give you much. I haven't been outside at all._

Charles nodded, _It's enough. Please could you calm your thoughts, you're like a whirlwind._

 _Sorry,_ Peter breathed deeply, relaxing his whole body in an attempt to pause his mind slightly. He could feel something in his head, like a tingling itch in the base of his skull. Shuddering, he rolled his neck instinctively to rid himself of the feeling. In the corridor next to him, he heard a rustle as someone walked up next to him.

"There you are, Peter. I've been looking for-" Ernest was cut off as Peter raised a warning finger.

"Sh."

 _Who is that?_ Charles said in his head.

 _A friend._

Charles mentally cleared his throat, _Ok I think I've got all I need. Thank you, Peter and look after yourself. We will be there soon just don't get in contact with Erik if you could._

 _Why?_

 _It just wouldn't be the best idea. Good luck, we will be there soon._ Charles pulled away from his mind.

Peter blinked and stood up, rubbing his eyes, "Ow, sorry about that."

"What were you doing? Is something wrong?" Ernest peered at him.

"Telepathic communication." said a sneering from above them. Dove had sneaked up on them and was smirking down on them as her wings beat steadily on her back. "It's against the rules to communicate with someone outside. Why do you think there's a tele-damper on the Bunk House? You could get in to a lot of trouble for that."

"If someone told on me." Peter eyed her suspiciously.

She smiled, showing way too much, "I suppose so."

There was a tense silence.

Ernest looked between the two mutants, eyes flicking back and forth as if he was watching a tennis rally.

The sound of an old fashioned school bell rang down the corridor, cutting through the tension. Ernest glanced at his watch.

"Oh, we need to get back! Or we'll be late for morning Gathering!" he cried, starting in the direction of the bell at a fast walk.

"Morning Gathering? What is this, Girl Scouts?" Peter said as he zipped to his side.

Dove fluttered above them, arms cross and a smug expression on her face, "We have a meeting each morning with the staff and, Magneto." she sighed his name.

Peter mimed throwing up for Ernest benefit who laughed quietly. Dove scowled, "If we don't hurry up, we'll get in trouble."

"Not a problem," Peter grabbed Ernest around the shoulders, in a second they were outside the doors to the dinner hall, "We're already here."

Ernest lent against the doorframe, blinking in an attempt to counteract the dizziness. "I wish you wouldn't do that." he groaned, pushing the doors open.

Inside all the mutants were sitting at their tables in almost silence, looking up at the walk way above them. Peter sped to the table at the very back so no one could see him come in late, Ernest followed more slowly still looking grumpy with the speedster.

"What do we do now?" Peter hissed at him.

"Be quiet." he whispered back as a man in a classy grey suit with shoulder-length dark hair strutted to the centre of the walkway. A vivid scar traced from his right eye to his jawline.

"Who's that?" Peter asked, unable to keep quiet for more than a second.

Ernest rolled his eyes, "That is Magneto's right-hand man, known as Riptide. Some say he was captured by a mutant hater hence the scar but no one really knows. He doesn't talk much really."

"Oh,"

Behind Riptide came a lady Peter recognised, Mesme, her greying hair tied up in a ponytail. She stopped in the middle of the room, gazing down at the sea of teenagers in front of her for a moment before clearing her throat a starting to speak.

"Good morning, fellow mutants. I will be taking this Gathering as I am afraid our leader Magneto is away on a quest of his own for the moment." As she started speaking, Peter noticed that everyone relaxed slightly, gazing up at her slightly sleepily. Even he was finding it hard not to stare at her. "But he has sent me a message though telepath that he would like me to say to you:" she cleared her throat, closed her eyes as though she was reading from the back of her eyelids, and said loudly:

"Brother mutants, though I am away don't forget the main lesson of our race: We are the future, the future of mankind. Humans fear us, and rightly so. They try to oppress us but we fight back. We will someday, someday soon, take over the world. We are mutants and proud of it. We are destined to rule. So, here you are fighting for a noble cause, the noblest of causes. Freedom for our people. We are the future!"  
Everyone repeated the last line in a creepy monotone: "We are the future."

"We also need to recognise a new member to our cause." She held out a hand towards the back of the hall, Peter felt himself growing very hot with embarrassment, "Please welcome, Pietro Maximoff." Mesme glared at him until he stood up awkwardly, fidgeting as he heard Ernest snickering behind him. "Or as he will now be known as: Quicksilver."

There was soft, almost robotic, applause as he sat down in a daze. Mesme continued with her speech but Peter wasn't listening. It wasn't that he didn't like the name, it suited him pretty well. He was quick and he was silver. But it stopped him being associated with Wanda, and his mother, the only two people he love in his life. He was proud to be a mutant and would rather that to being human, yet he still didn't agree with Erik's ideas. In his mind he will always be Pietro Maximoff.

"Lucky." Ernest's mutter cut through his thoughts.

"Sorrywhat?" Peter blinked, realising Mesme had stopped talking and everyone was standing up.

"Your name. It's awesome!" he whined, standing with the rest as wondering to the door.

Peter hurried after him, "What? I...yes I suppose."

"Better than mine, I mean at least yours matches you."

"I didn't pick it, man!" Peter suddenly realised that he didn't know where he was going, "What do we do now? Where are we going to?"

Ernest shrugged, fiddling with his bronze bands, "Well, its the weekend so there is no lessons," he cracked a smile at the disgusted expression Peter pulled at the thought of lessons, "We can do what ever we want, there is a games room. It has a pool table, a few arcade games even bowling pins."

Peter huffed, "The arcade games all far too slow for me, I reprogrammed my own to run at my speed. Pool is just boring."

"You have your own Arcade game?!" Ernest stopped walking, Peter looked back at him, "How much did that cost?"

Peter shifted awkwardly, a grin spreading on his face, "It didn't really cost anything."

"You didn't." Ernest gasped when Peter didn't answer, "You did?! You stole it? Well,I suppose with your speed, its pretty easy. Is that all you took? I wish my mutation was something useful like that."

"I didn't steal it! I just, kinda, borrowed without permission with no intent to return!" Peter looked at his watch and groaned. It was only 11 o'clock, ages till lunch. "I'm just going to go for a run, I need to stretch my legs. Might as well find out what I can about this place."

"There isn't a way out." Ernest shot a knowing look over at the speedster, "I've looked everywhere."

Peter reached up to his forehead, then realised that he had left his goggles behind in the park. Trying to cover his action, he pushed his silver hair back, "I know, man. Just I want to look round, ok?"

Ernest nodded sympathetically, "Ok, see you later."

Once Peter had sped off in a flash of silver, Ernest turned back towards the games room.

"Although, I will probably see him in less then a minute, knowing him." he said as an afterthought.

* * *

 **Sup.**

 **You guys are soo cool.**

 **I mean the responses! *Mind blown***

 **To answer those some responses:**

 **Yes, I just realised Star Wars wasn't out then...but I'm not going to change it now...because I'm a lazy so-and-so**

 **Don't worry, DADNETO WILL STRIKE FEAR IN TO THE HEARTS OF ANYONE WHO TRIES TO COME NEAR HIS MUTANTS... (Wanda may conntribute.. who knows...)**

 **More recongnisable characters are on their way, including Gambit, Riptide, Bombom and maybe everyones favourite mutant-hater (yayy(!)) because I am a nasty writer, and love hurting my characters :)**

 **(P.S: To that random amazing person who reviewed: You just keep hitting Erik with that news paper, he deserves it)**


	5. Mayhem

**5**

Peter thought he had been running for hours, though it must only have been minutes for a normal person, before he saw them. He had to stop every so often to rest his painful eyes, running long distances for too long made his eyes sting with the rushing wind.

He had counted all the rooms and halls twice, doing a lap of each except the _Girls_ Bunk House, obviously. There were classrooms of all sizes; several labs; an indoor basketball and tennis court, in which Peter played a few lonely games with himself; many offices where he found Mesme and Riptide having a heated discussion. One office stood out from the rest, it was just a metal box jammed in to the concrete wall but the door was locked tight.

 _That must be Erik's,_ he thought as he zipped past.

Though he went everywhere he could find, down every corridor and through very door, Peter couldn't find a way outside. There weren't even window, except skylights. Even the full size athletics stadium was completely covered, with only strip lighting to see with. After several laps round the running track, he ran in to the group.

The Element Brother gang was clustered in a circle at the dead end of a corridor. Peter paused, interested. They were all looking at the same spot at the centre of the group, faces frozen in sneering, leering smirks. He slipped through the outer rim of bullies, avoiding pointing fingers and waving fists until he got to the middle three people. Two of the them were Solarflare and Icesheet, stupid grins plastered on their faces. Both had their elements curling around their hands. Between the two was a girl Peter had seen once before. The one whose eyes had followed him as he had sped across the hall last night. She had short spiky, ear-length, blonde hair, the ends streaked with royal blue. Her small face was screwed up in suppressed fear as she ducked under a flash of frozen fire. Intrigued, he ducked behind a corner and allowed time to play back to normal.

"-hear what I said?" came Icesheet's commanding voice.

Solarflare crowed harsh laughter, "I think she's gone deaf, don't you brother?"

There was a whump of flames and laughter, Peter chanced a peek around the corner, regretting it immediately.

"Hey! Whose that?" shouted one of the gang.

Peter turned to run away to run but a blue skinned boy appeared in front of him with a crash and a puff of blue-black smoke, who gripped the speedsters wrist, then all he could see was black. When light came back, he was in front of the two brothers.

"Oh, look who it is! The new one! What are you doing here, Quicksilver?" Solarflare held his finger offencely close to Peter's face and lighting the tip so that his silver hair crisped slightly, "You spying?"

Peter didn't answer, still trying to shake the dizziness from teleportation. He covered his eyes in apparent pain to mask looking round for a way out the crowd of mutants around him. The girl was watching him curiously, backing away slightly now the attention was off her.

"Aren't you listening to me? I asked you a question!" Solarflare drawled, letting the rest of his hand flicker with flames as his brother chortled behind him. "What do we do with spies, boys?" he turned to his gang who guffawed for no real reason. While all attention was away from him, Peter nudged the girl beside him.

"Your mutation. Can you make a distraction?" he whispered, voice shaking with the effort of speaking slowly when he was so stressed.

"Well, yes." she hissed back, "But I can't control it very well, I could hurt someone."

"Well, as long as its not us, I don't care. Just get ready, I'll get us out of here."

"Why are you helping me?"

Peter frowned, "Why shouldn't-"

"Oy! What are you two muttering about?" Icesheet interrupted jamming his face close to the frightened pair. The temperature dipped dangerously, Peter's breath formed in a cloud in front of his face as he suppressed a shiver. He slipped his hand back, closing his hand round the girls wrist, feeling the cold of her metal cuff. She sucked in an almost inaudible gasp of surprise.

"Whats wrong Quickboy?" purred a girl whose face was covered in fur with whiskers poking out her cheeks, "Cat got your tongue?"

"That," Peter cringed, "was the worse pun I have every heard."

He moved just in time as a streak of orange flames whistled past his eye, Solarflare beared his teeth, "Oh, you are in so much trouble now."

Peter realised that this was really not a good time to have a smart mouth, he squeezed the wrist he was holding, hoping the owner understood the message. Behind the crowd, a dustbin exploded in a pulse of blue, sending bits of rubbish everywhere. Mutants sprinted for the corner, ducking and screaming. The Element brothers roared in rage, swotting at the flying trash. Peter gripped the girl's wrist as they both dodged a crip packet, she yelped as he sped up slightly.

"Letsgetoutofhere." he shouted over the clammer, picking up more sped. He raced past the panicing teenagers so fast, he blow Solarflare's hair out. Past the disbanded gang, up the corridor and round the to the main hall which was as far away from the gang as possible. There he stopped, releasing the girl who immediately doubled over and groaned.

"It will pass," Peter said lightly yet with some amusement, "It happens to everything."

The girl straighted up, looking at him with frosty, wary eyes as she backed off slightly, "Thank you for that."

"No problem." Peter waved her thanks away. "I've had trouble with them before."

Her voice was a cool monotone. "I know. Though I swear you started it."  
"You saw that?"  
"I can sense heat signatures. Yours is very hot," Peter raised his eyebrows, smirking so she rolled her eyes and continued, "so I can see where you are and where you were about 20 seconds before."  
"And blow things up." Peter added. "What's your name?"  
"They call me Mayhem."  
"I can see why." Peter said, making, holding out a hand. "I'm-"  
"Quicksilver, I know." She interrupted, ignoring his hand. "I was at the assembly."  
"Just call me Peter." He said, dropping the hand, disappointed.

"Ok." She said awkwardly, "Thanks for saving me. I owe you a debt."

With that, she turned and hurried towards the doors across the hall with out a second glance.

"Your welcome?" He called after her unhappily. Some people! He took off at a run.

Peter was contemplating the new distant ally he seemed to have gained, when he almost ran into a boy who had a spiralling tattoo scrolled out from the corner of one of his eyes. Peter dug in his heels to stop himself running into him, with a screech of rubber soles, he came to a stop.  
"Sorry man." He apologised as the boy stumbled and fell in the gust of wind, he held out a hand to pull him back to his feet, noticing that the boy had a tattoo on his palms as well, shaped a bit like a radiation symbol.  
"It's alright." The boy said, brushing himself down. "I was looking for you anyway."  
What had he done wrong now? Maybe someone had heard him talk to Mayhem about Wanda. Had his loose tongue landed her in danger? He wouldn't be able to live with himself if he did.

"You are Quicksilver, right?" The boy confirmed.

"Yeah, why?" Peter said, playing innocent. An act he used almost daily.  
"I am to take you to Magneto's office. He wants to talk to you."  
"Why?" Peter said again, following the boy as they headed up the corridor towards the office.  
"I don't know." The boy said shortly.  
"I thought he was away." Peter asked quickly.  
"He got back about ten minutes ago." The boy said without looking at Peter.

"Oh."

They walked excruciatingly slowly in silence for about five minutes, when Peter couldn't stay quiet for any longer.  
"Nice tattoos." He commented.

The boy glanced at his palms. "They're birthmarks, part of my mutation."

"Oh, cool." Peter nodded in appreciation. "All I got was silver hair which isn't as cool."

"Oh, okay." The boy said without looking anywhere but straight ahead. Peter gave up the conversation then and there. What is it with the mutants here? They were either massive jerks or cool as the 7th Hell.

Soon they were staring outside the metal office. The boy nodded sharply and the door opened of its own accord. Inside was a familiar dark haired man in black jeans and turtleneck, hunched over his desk, gazing at the papers sitting there. He hadn't changed much in the year since Peter had last seen him, he still had awful fashion sense but at least he had forgone the cap. His face looked worn and exhausted, dark shadows rested under his eyes and stubble had started growing along his jaw line.

"I got him for you, sir." The boy poked Peter forward into the room.

"Thank you, Ink" He said warily. "You can go."

The door slammed shut behind Ink as he left Peter with the metal bender.

He looked up at him and froze in the middle of setting the paper to one side.

"Peter?" Said Erik Lehnsherr.

 **HEY! I AM ALIVE! IMAGINE THAT! BASICALLY I AM HOMEWORK DEAD RIGHT NOW...! SO YEA!**

 **I decided I didn't like the first draft of this chapter so here you go! Sorry if you liked Mayhem...I didn't sooo :)**


End file.
